Trump’s Agreement to Sell F-35s to Saudi Arabia Trump Announces F-35 Sales to Riyadh Ahead of Mohammed bin Salman’s Visit to the USDonald Trump, President of the United States, announced on Monday— one day before hosting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House—that he intends to approve the sale of US-made F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
In the White House, Trump told reporters: “We will do that.
We will sell the F-35 fighter jets [to Saudi Arabia].” Saudi Arabia has requested the purchase of up to 48 F-35 fighter jets from Washington, a multi-billion-dollar deal that the Pentagon had already approved prior to bin Salman’s trip.
This announcement marks a significant shift in US arms policy toward the Middle East, potentially making Saudi Arabia the first Arab nation to join the F-35 program after Israel’s exclusive regional access.
Trump highlighted Saudi Arabia’s role as a “great ally,” referencing its support in recent US actions against Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, the deal faces scrutiny over Israel’s “qualitative military edge” and risks of technology transfer to China, with congressional review pending. No formal conditions, such as Saudi normalization with Israel, were mentioned in Trump’s remarks
